Best Supporting Actress
in Season 2 of
HBOMAX series HACKS
Hannah Einbinder is a comedian playing a comedian’s writer in HBO Max’s 15-time Emmy nominated series Hacks, which has just been renewed for a third season. Einbinder plays Ava, opposite Jean Smart as Deborah Vance, legendary comedian whose jokes are getting tired as she needs new, more honest material. The series transforms into one about the intricate relationship between the two seemingly opposing women, equal parts funny and heartfelt. Season 2 follows Ava and Deborah on the road together on a comedy tour, one that involves deep conversations centered on sexuality and misogyny one minute, and molly-induced exiled boat dancing the next. This whiplash-like comedy is one that pushed the show’s creators to choose Einbinder, as her audition included a sad line delivery followed soon after by an aggressive hit of her vape. In our interview, she possesses a similar comedic style as she drops nuggets of self-discovery within a laid-back delivery. During our interview with her, Einbinder is on a comedy tour of her own, as she talks about childhood coping mechanisms, mycology, and the time a scene (or her incoming period) made her cry. Even though Einbinder’s mannerisms have found their way into Ava, she is not her character, and it is absolutely worth it to see her on her own comedy tour. Tickets can be purchased at hannaheinbinder.com!
Left: Blouse & vest: Patou Paris, Pants and boots: IRO Paris Right: Jacket: Chloe Paris
First, I think I need to start with congratulating you and the rest of the Hacks team on the 15 Emmy nominations for Season 1 last year! You’ve said that as a comedian, you have found yourself looking for external validation, and I would call 15 Emmy nominations a pretty high level of validation. For Hacks, do you feel like your value in it has come from external sources, or has that changed a bit for you on this project?
Thank you so much! Look, it doesn’t hurt! I mean, I think every day I’m up against some fundamental wiring that forbids me from enjoying anything for too long? I kind of always find a way to punish myself to be totally honest. But I think what overrides that is my respect and admiration for Paul [W. Downs], Jen [Statsky], and Lucia [Aniello]. Their expression of pride and approval of my work has made me feel like, “Well, if these geniuses think I’m doing well then, I must be!” The critical acclaim has been really lovely and so meaningful, but my main concern is making PLJ proud.
Body suit: Jean Paul Gaultier, Bustier: Romeo Gigli Bustier available at Tab Vintage. Pants : IRO Paris
Suit by Stella McCartney
Something that really stood out to me in Season 2 of the show is the effect of comedy work, and entertainment work in general, on a person’s mental health given that crowd approval must feel like a high that an entertainer is always chasing while rejection feels insurmountable. Do you feel like this is a common thread among most entertainers?
Yeah, I absolutely do. I think there are many varied experiences among artists for sure, but a desperation for approval is more common. I think it’s usually rooted in some childhood coping mechanism. Lotta bullied kids grow up to be artists.
Body suit , earrings and bracelet: Saint Laurent PF22
Body suit , earrings and bracelet: Saint Laurent FF22
Dress : Sportmax F22, Heels A.W.A.K.E. mode
On that same note, you’ve said that Hacks is one of the first mediums that you think explores comedy successfully. In Season 2 as Ava and Deborah go on a comedy tour, what element of the comedy world do you think was portrayed most accurately?
I mean the road is depicted accurately for sure. As someone who is on the road as I’m doing this interview, I can tell you that with certainty. Also, the reason I think Hacks nails comedy as a medium is because many of our writers are either currently or formerly standup comedians or live performers, whether that’s sketch or improv.
Dress : Sportmax F22, Heels A.W.A.K.E. mode
Suit by Stella McCartney
As you said, you started your comedy tour at the beginning of the month! What were you most looking forward to on the tour, and more importantly, is it anywhere near as dramatic as Deborah’s tour?
Yes! Well, I definitely don’t travel in as much style as Miss Deborah Vance. Her motto is “less is less,” my motto is “the exit row is the first class of coach.” SO! Different. But yeah, I mean, I love the road and doing standup more than anything on Planet Earth, so I’m really stoked. I’m going to London from September 36 – October 8th, performing every night at the Soho Theater. So, that’ll be a highlight.
Suit , cardigan, jewelry, and bag: CHANEL Metiers d’Art 2022, Heels: Kat Maconie
Other than “the exit row is the first class of coach,” do you follow Deborah’s motto in the show, “trust the process?”
Yes. It’s the only way!
Suit by Stella McCartney
Suit , cardigan, jewelry, and bag: CHANEL Metiers d’Art 2022, Heels: Kat Maconie
Suit by Stella McCartney
Body suit: Jean Paul Gaultier, Bustier: Romeo Gigli Bustier available at Tab Vintage. Pants : IRO Paris
Blouse & vest: Patou Paris, Pants and boots: IRO Paris
There is also a scene when Ava and Marcus are sitting for a caricature drawing and the artist is asking them their interests, but they can’t really think of anything outside of work. Have you ever struggled with this?
Oh GOD yes. I mean, it wasn’t until recently that I had any hobbies, I hate to say that, but it’s the truth. I felt I didn’t have time to have hobbies coming up. A lot of artists don’t see a differentiation between free time and time to work. There’s no “clocking out” especially for standup comedians. There’s always somewhere to go up and get on stage. So that leaves very little room for much else. My hobby is…mycology. I’m very into medical mushrooms, the mycelium network, and herbal medicine.
Blouse & vest: Patou Paris, Pants and boots: IRO Paris
Jacket: Chloe Paris
Body suit: Jean Paul Gaultier, Bustier: Romeo Gigli Bustier available at Tab Vintage. Pants : IRO Paris
Even though Hacks is clearly funny, it also has some really touching moments because of the incredible writing team. I thought the sexuality talk between Ava and Deborah was really well-done and not something I’ve really seen in a show. Was there a scene that touched you in Season 2?
Yeah! Tons. But the last scene of the season really got me. I think I was also about to get my period, but I couldn’t stop crying between takes.
I wanted to end by discussing the relationship between social media and comedy since that’s explored in the show and is really relevant now. In a 2018 Flaunt article, you wrote “As short form, filtered, cartoonish internet comedy continues to saturate the online arena, I predict that its impact on future comedians will yield a second wave of more slapstick, vaudevillian, physical humor.” Now that it has been 4 years since you wrote that, do you still feel the same?
I still feel the same way, yeah. I think what will appeal to a younger generation (generally speaking, there are outliers of course) are things that catch their eye in a sea of flashy, bright, and oversaturated content. I think when things get really bad, people want a totally absurd escape and that style of comedy achieves just that.
Dress : Sportmax F22, Heels A.W.A.K.E. mode
Body suit: Jean Paul Gaultier, Bustier: Romeo Gigli Bustier available at Tab Vintage. Pants : IRO Paris
Photography Hadley Rosenbaum Creative Director, Casting & Fashion Editor Deborah Ferguson Interview Tessa SwantekMakeup Molly Greenwald @ A-Frame agency Hair Brian Fisher @ A-Frame AgencyWeb layout Lorena Farias Soriano Fashion assistant Juan Marco Torres
Location
Thank youID PR , HBO
WATCH THE HACKS SEASON 2 TRAILER: